What to Know About the Third Democratic Debate: Time, Date, Lineup

Top Democratic candidates are taking the stage again on Thursday, September 12, for the third debate of the 2020 primaries in a three-hour political spectacular hosted by Texas Southern University in Houston.

Tonight’s Democratic debate will be the first time all top-polling candidates meet together on one stage as the race heats up between progressives and more moderate liberals. Viewers might expect these dynamics to come to a head as former Vice President Joe Biden will come face to face with both further left frontrunners Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

As the country continues to grapple with the growing threats of gun violence—mass shootings in August alone resulted in the deaths of 53 people—and climate change, particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, the two issues could likely be front and center on Thursday’s Democratic debate stage.

Here’s everything you need to know about the third Democratic debate tonight.

Democratic presidential hopefuls (L-R) US Senator from New York Kirsten Gillibrand and Former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro speak during the second round of the second Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season hosted by CNN at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on July 31, 2019. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

Warren and Biden in particular, representing opposite sides of the Democratic political spectrum, are expected to go head to head, as the two will share the debate stage for the first time.

Democratic presidential hopeful US Senator from California Kamala Harris gestures as she speaks during the second round of the second Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season hosted by CNN at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on July 31, 2019. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

Which candidates didn’t qualify for the third Democratic debate?

There are still 20 Democrats in the race for the nomination, but only half of the candidates qualified for Thursday’s debate. Here are all the candidates sitting this one out, due to the DNC’s regulations:

What were the requirements for the third debate?

The DNC changed its qualification requirements ahead of the third Democratic debate, making it harder for lower-polling candidates to secure a spot on the stage. In order to qualify for this debate, candidates were required to receive campaign contributions from at least 130,000 individuals, and reach a 2% polling threshold in four separate DNC-approved polls.

Democratic presidential candidates (L-R) Marianne Williamson, former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, former tech executive Andrew Yang, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) take part in the second night of the first Democratic presidential debate on June 27, 2019 in Miami, Florida.

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What’s the format of tonight’s debate?

Each candidate will have one minute and 15 seconds to respond to questions from the moderators, and an additional 45 seconds to respond to follow-up questions and rebuttals from other candidates. Candidates will have the opportunity to give an opening statement, but there will be no closing statements in this debate.

The stage is set for the first Democratic presidential primary debate for the 2020 election at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, June 26, 2019 in Miami, Florida.

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Who is moderating the third Democratic debate?

Thursday night’s debate will have four moderators. They are ABC News This Week host George Stephanopoulos, ABC News World News Tonight anchor David Muir, ABC News correspondent Linsey Davis, and Univision anchor and journalist Jorge Ramos.

When is the next Democratic debate?

The fourth debate, scheduled for October 15, could once again turn into a two-night event. The DNC’s requirements to qualify in the fourth debate are the same as the third debate, and all 10 candidates participating in the third debate are expected to take the stage again next month, unless they drop out before then.

But Steyer and Gabbard hope to join the stage next month, as well, if they can reach the polling threshold. Both candidates have already secured enough donors.